Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-03-26
FRUIT ENEMIES.
EOyCERNING THE PEAR AND AP-
PIE sCAB BLIGHT.
It's Causes aud Progress in Calitor-
mia, and Remedies Suggested
Against its Ravages.

Bulletin No. 5, just issued by F. W. G.
Klee, Inspector of Fruit Pest under author
ity of the State Board of Horticulture, gives
the following data, which will be Of inter
est and value to fruit growers:
The peculiar climate of the coast of Cali
MIA. especially that of those sections within
the more direct influence of the fogs of the
ocean, offer specially favorable conditions
for the development of injurious fungi
popularity known as rusts, smuts, mlldews
and blights, which, as cultivation extends
seem to increase, and cause serious loss, If
not total destruction, OF our crops.
NATURE OF FUNGI.
The study of fungi, at least of the lower
and most destructive forms, does not date
very far back Owing to their minuteness
of structure our knowledge OF their charac-
Ter is due to the microscope, without the
aid of which they cannot be scientifically
determined The number of species and
families of fungi is very great, and, in fact,
the difference in size between the smallest
and largest is as great in proportion as it is
between the tiniest herb and the giant OF
the forest. But with all their great differ
ences they have, of course, certain points
in common, which separate them from
higher plants, although some of these char
acters are shared by ferns and lycepods.
refer to their mode of reproduction. Be-
fore entering upon the discussion OF the
separate kinds il may be well to review the
characteristics of this function. The or
gans of reproduction-that Is, the spores,
analogous to seed-in the higher fungi, as
the toadstool, are contained in the most
~ Of 70 aTic W
we see above ground. That which answers
to the stem and root of the plant combined
is below ground, or feeding on the
object that supplies its nourishment, by
sending its minute threads through the
tissues is known as the myceltium. To
become q true resting spore, which, like
the seed can remain dormant for seasons,
until favorable conditions for its develop
ment are offered, a certain process, analo-
gous to the fertilization of the pollen on
the egg of the Towering plant, is necessary.
But these resting spores are not necessary
during the time of the most active growth
of the fungi. Then spores, which may be
compared to bulblets, such as are pro-
duced by the onion and lily, are developed,
and these seem to possess the power of in
definite multiplication. 1t is this power
that explains the very rapid development
of fungi, and renders them particularly de-
structive 1t seems evident that nearly all
the blights, so-called, troubling our fruit
trees, are due chiefly to some sort Of fungus,
which has gradually spread. This will &C.
count for the fact that orchards of certain
varieties of fruit, once bearing sure crops,
are now very uncertain, and often failures.
FUsIcLADIUM DEETRITIcUM.
The first species of fungus to be discussed
because, perhaps, one of the most serious,
is the black pear and apple smut, the Fast-
clddiltn de7ltriticlun Mention of this can
be found in older horticultural works, al
though nothing very definite. Robert Hogg,
in his Manual of Fruits, says of the So
called fox whelp apple, that it may be
known by its peculiar scabby spots Ia fig
ure in the book shows this). but adds that
this is not a distinguishing mark of this
apple, being in reality the effect of species
of fungus, spilocaaN pome, which affects
other apples as well. The disease then
cannot have been considered anything
formidable, as no further mention of it is
made
In " du Breuil Cour d'Arboriculture" is
described disease which undoubtedly is
the same as the previous one in question,
affecting certain varieties of pears, causing
black scab on them and rendering them
unstable. 1t further says that sulphur,
has been tried as a remedy, but without
success. The report of the German expert
mental school at Geisenheim on the Rhine
speaks of the fusicladium affecting the
white calville apples seriously, and says
that sulphur busted five times over the APP
pies had counteracted the disease, and also
records that these sulpured apples, COM
pared with others not sulphured, were
little affected by the Goblin moth.
In IS Professor Trelease, of the Univer
sitv of Wisconsin, published very inter-
esting paper, in which he demonstrates
the fact that the fungus or blight of the
foliage of the apple is identical with the
smut causing the scab on the fruit.
Comparing the effect of the fungus on
the fruit and foliage there can hardly be
any doubt that it is the same fungus that
affects both pears and apples, and that the
so-ealled blight of the Winter Nelis pear is
due to an aggravated form of fusicladium,
or rather the Winter Nelis, more than
other varieties of pears, is subject to this
disease. In endeavoring to prove this, it
will be necessary to review the history of
this blight.
Ten years ago nothing was heard of this
trouble. Winter Nelis bore and matured
in many places on the coast where they
are now being abandoned as failure.
About five years ago [ noticed at the ex-
perimental orchard of the University the
leaves of two trees in the extreme south
west corner of the orchard during the
month of May, becoming smoky looking
revealing under the maguifying glass a
smut-like fungus. The trees produced but
little fruit, and most of this was badly
affected with the same smut. The warm
weather dissipated nearly all the signs of
the fungus, and it was not until next sea-
son that discovered it again on the foil
age of the same trees, as well as on SIX or
eight adjoining pear trees attacking the
latter in precisely the same manner as it
had the first variety, affecting foliage and
fruit as WELL Next season again was as
tonished to find, after few days absence,
that the same blight had made its appear
anee in all parts of the orchard, affecting
some varieties very severely, others less,
nd some not at all. It was the same year
that the blight of the Winter Nelis was SO
general. as most people remember. This
Wear, according to ]. McLareG of San Ma
leo was the first year the disease was no.
ticed in San Mateo county, and this year,
also. in the Santa Cruz mountains that the
so.cailed apple-tree blight proved very Sc
we're. In fact, from every quarter within
the region of the fog belt, complaints of
this blight were heard of.
This season I determined, if possible, to
reach some definite conclusion in regard to
the nature of the blight as reported from
various quarters, and from thor
ough comparison l am satisfied that
the Fttsicidditsm deltriticum is the
cause of all the trouble. In the expert
mental garden at Berkeley we have had
all grades of it on the pears, and on one
variety, the first attacked, the bloom is
affected precisely as in the case of Winter
Nelis, and the consequence is that the fruit
does not even form The branches of this
one when young are attacked by the
fungus. and the second year reveals
the damage done. The counterpart of this
fungus ! have found in several orchards.
notably in an eight-year old orchard near
Watsonville This orchard, although 9th
eryise in an apparently healthy condition,
has failed to bear at all.
In the case of the white Winter Pear
L. H. 1-,ol l,o-1